The office, in the basement of a restaurant on 17th Avenue downtown, has no signs on its doors.

In addition to white desks and computers, it features hardwood floors, a 1950s lunch counter with padded-leather stools, colourful clothes on racks and a ruby-red sofa.

Shashi Behl’s business headquarters doesn’t receive any sunlight. That’s probably fitting, because the Body Blocker clothes that Behl produces are designed to protect kids from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

This fall, Behl is launching her line in selected clothing stores across Canada. The Body Blocker one-piece bathing suits, shorts, tee-shirts and hats (which look like something out of the French Foreign Legion) protect tots to 10-year-olds from 99.6 per cent of UVA and UVB rays. The clothes offer a sun-protection factor of 104.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, one in seven kids runs the risk of getting skin cancer in their lifetime.

Behl has placed her products in Calgary, Toronto (including Pearson International Airport), and B.C. stores and will look into securing an agent as revenues increase. Previously, she had sold the clothes from a kiosk at Eau Claire Market, between May and August only, and other retail outlets, which proved too expensive to operate.

Behl will continue to operate the Eau Claire kiosk, but she has decided to focus on wholesale operations and let clothing stores do most of the retail selling for her.

“Our line isn’t big enough to warrant (operating) a store, because it’s a very specific line,” said Behl.

The Body Blocker duds are designed for swimming, hiking and biking in summer. As winter approaches, Behl is using her Web site (www.bodyblocker.com) to appeal to snowbirds headed south and overseas.

She has processed orders from such hotspots as Texas, California, Cuba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Europe, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. “It’s kind of taken a life of its own in one way,” said Behl.

Her company, Ankh Inc., achieved revenues of approximately $150,000 in 1999, primarily from retail operations. She’s hoping more wholesale orders will boost revenues to $250,000 this year.

Not bad, considering that she started out with no experience in the clothing industry.

Behl, a native of Punnichy (pronounced PUNISH-EYE), Sask., a small town of “not even” 500, and former business partner Lila Lewandoski often dreamed of starting a clothing company while they were studying economics and commerce, respectively, at the University of Saskatchewan. She and Lewandoski hatched their dream of making sun-protective clothing during a road trip to Whistler, B.C., from Saskatchewan in 1993.

“We wanted to do clothing lines and we didn’t have a background,” recalled Behl. “Both of our backgrounds were not fashion or design or pattern-making. Then we decided that we’d like to do something that, basically, had a function as well and it wasn’t just a trendy item. Lila had been a lifeguard and she was always concerned about (UV rays) and my interests really lay in science — don’t ask me why I went through economics — so I really liked the fact there was an element of science behind it.”

Behl and Lewandoski obtained a $3,000 loan from the Canadian Business Development Bank and, with help from the University of Saskatchewan’s engineering department, tested materials. Struggling to make ends meet, and feeling there was more support for young entrepreneurs in Alberta, they moved to Calgary in 1996.

Soon, they obtained a $10,000 loan from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (www.youthbusiness.com), which is based at Mount Royal College’s downtown campus (4th floor, 833 4th Ave. S.W.) The CYBF is a privately-funded, non-profit organization that offers low-interest loans worth up to $15,000 and business support to entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 29.

Young Calgary entrepreneurs like Behl comprise approximately 10 per cent of the total CYBF program. There were 53 Calgary companies enrolled, and more than 480 across Canada.

Other Calgary CYBF-assisted companies include an online golf tee-time booking agency, a scuba diving tour operator and an organic food delivery service. Most are showing a profit already.

“I would have to say there’s an 80 per cent success rate in Calgary,” said Monika Provost, CYBF regional assistant for Western Canada.

The Canadian Youth Foundation, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and the Royal Bank are founding partners in the CYBF, while Telus is the major sponsor in Alberta.

According to CYBF figures provided by Provost, the program has created 700 new jobs since the CYBF formed in 1996.

“In our economy now, long-term job stability is becoming increasingly rare, so we see people turning to entrepreneurship as one of the few options that can bring personal and professional satisfaction,” said Provost.

“I see a lot of young people getting a lot of satisfaction out of owning their own business.”

Behl’s and Lewandoski’s $10,000 loan allowed them to quit their waitressing jobs and devote themselves full-time to the Body Blocker concept.

In February, Behl acquired Lewandoski’s share of the company as her friend pursued stronger passions in the retail sector. In May, Body Blocker relocated from Behl’s home to the basement office.

Behl now sits on the CYBF’s board, helping other young entrepreneurs enjoy their day in the sun.